The Underdog: Josh Must Win has made it onto the BFI’s Best British Television of 2024 list. Our massive thanks to the BFI for honouring this plucky underdog.

https://www.bfi.org.uk/lists/best-british-television-2024

“It’s not often a reality game show makes it on our end of year list, but Channel 4’s Josh Must Win is no underdog. Winning the hearts of the nation with its unique format, the show was the millionth title to be ingested at the BFI National Archive from our off-air recordings – an activity we’ve been doing since 1985. Contestants, made up of influencers, move into a house believing they are on a show called ‘The Favourite’. They must compete for a chance to win £10,000 by being voted the most popular housemate. Hidden to all the contestants (who are your typical reality TV types) and to Josh Foulds (an unassuming, quirky professional wrestler), the real game show is all about him. 

Host Nick Grimshaw and a panel of celebrity pals (Pete Wicks from The Only Way Is Essex, Vicky Pattison from Geordie Shore, and Love Island winner Amber Rose Gill) secretly try to steer challenges so that Josh – the unlikely contender – gets to the top of the social hierarchy. If he is crowned the most popular, the housemates will share a prize pot of £100,000. Reminiscent of early Big Brother, Josh Must Win is a creative and refreshing take on the social experiment format of television, where everyone roots for the underdog to win.”